Dominic Massa / Eyewitness News
Longtime Louisiana lawmaker Sammy Nunez Jr., who served 12 years as senate president representing St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes, died Sunday. He was 81.
A senate news release said the cause of death was complications from pneumonia.
Though regarded as an effective and powerful lawmaker, Nunez often found himself in the center of controversy as a confidant of former Gov. Edwin Edwards.
Critics cited the time in 1994 when Nunez, as senate president, distributed campaign contribution checks from businessman Louis Roussell III’s Star Casino company to a handful of senators on the Senate floor.
At the time, Nunez told The Times-Picayune he was "like a messenger. Somebody has to do it,” saying he distributed other campaign checks in and near the Capitol.
He was defeated in a run for re-election the next year.
Nunez was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1964, representing Plaquemines Parish. He was elected to the Senate in 1969 representing neighboring St. Bernard Parish. He served as senate president from 1982 until 1988 and again from 1990 to 1996.
He became senate president after the federal conviction of Michael O'Keefe. Nunez lost the position in 1988, when former Gov. Buddy Roemer insisted on his ouster, but grabbed it back two years later with help of Senate friends with ties to Edwin Edwards.
“Sammy was instrumental in reforming the state budget process with the establishment of the Revenue Estimating Conference in the State Constitution and is credited with modernizing and streamlining the operations of the State Senate,” said Senate President John Alario in a statement issued Sunday. Alario worked closely with Nunez when Alario was the House Speaker.
After leaving the Senate, Nunez also served as president of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, Jan. 18 with visitation from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at St. Louis Cathedral. A funeral service will follow, conducted by Archbishop Gregory Aymond and a eulogy by former Gov. Edwards.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
